Parisian Culture: The Necessities

Every culture has fundamental functions in place to maintain a certain level of balance. In Paris, this stability revolves around eating: wining and dining to be exact. The line between socializing and eating is so fine in Paris, that the two merge together to form everyday habits that Parisians cannot live without. The cafes, restaurants, wine, and even picnicking are every bit a part of Paris as the Arc de Triomphe.

The French may love their cafes, but the Parisians need them. In a city over-crowded with inhabitants and tourists, the search for personal space can be a challenge. That is why Parisians rely so heavily on their local café for solace. Here they can sit down, have a drink, talk to a friend, and relax without the stress of moving around a crowded city. This is not a quick stop, either. When a Parisian decides to sit down in a café, he will stay there as long as possible. I once had a six hour discussion over tea about nothing of importance. This concept of holding idle conversations over tea for hours is hard for Americans to understand. We have different ways of relaxing in American culture. But this is the Parisian’s way of shaking off the day’s hustle and bustle. They go to the cafes for peace, not stressful debates or problem solving. Dinner is treated similarly, with a little more room for serious discussion.

The restaurant culture is not one to be taken lightly in Paris. There are exceptions, but every person I know in Paris eats out at least five times a week. I am not referring to that quick run to McDonalds, either. I mean they actually sit down in restaurants with friends five times a week. That is the average, but I know people who eat out once or twice a day. The reason for this is much like the reason they frequent cafes: they want to socialize and enjoy themselves at the same time. The restaurant will come after the “after work” drink at the café. The group will not be the same as the one at the café. For dinner, the company breaks up and goes their separate ways to meet up with different social circles and the discussions here are usually more serious than those of the café. The time spent at the café gives their brains some rest and allows them to hold down a more serious discussion at dinner. This is the time of day that the Parisian has put aside to learn about local events from friends and talk about politics, the latest art gallery, city events, family or work. The main purpose is not to eat, but to socialize and be out in public. However, when the weather is good, the French often opt for a more spontaneous means of dining.

The Parisian picnic is one of the best kept secrets that the city has to offer. Tourists often miss out on this wonderful experience, thinking that restaurants are the only way to eat while abroad. If the sky is clear from rain clouds, many Parisians head to the local grocery store, buy a bottle of wine, and some cheese and head over to the nearest bakery to choose anything from quiche to a sandwich for the meal. Where they go to enjoy the meal depends on the area. My personal favorite location is on the quay of the Seine river just across from the Notre Dame cathedral at dusk, just as the cathedral façade is lighting up. This is very casual, and possesses close to zero rules. You can bring a blanket to sit on, or simply sit on the ground. The point is to enjoy being in the open air and in the company of a good friend.

To say that the French love their wine would be an understatement. This is the most widely consumed form of alcohol in the country. The appropriate time to drink wine? Whenever you want. To the French, any occasion is an occasion to have at least one glass of wine. While enjoying themselves at the café, they are drinking wine. At the restaurant? Still drinking wine. There is no one normal time of day to enjoy a glass; you can see people having a glass at a local café anywhere from 10AM to midnight, any day of the week. They drink wine as a means of socializing with friends over a good meal, during a conversation, wedding, or any celebration. A friend from China once compared the way the French drink wine to the way the rest of the world drinks water. It may seem that way, but the French know when enough is enough and they understand the dangers of too much alcohol consumption.

The best way to understand another culture is to understand what is most important to those living that culture. The next time you are in Paris, take a look around you and observe the activities you once thought were mere time-fillers. Become one of the locals at a café or restaurant, or have a picnic with (or without) a good bottle of wine. Trust me, you will appreciate the Parisian culture in a completely new way, not to mention how much you will enjoy some well-deserved relaxation.

Jacqueline Perrier-Gillette is currently a resident of Paris, France, where she lives with her husband. Together the two of them operate their small translation company, giving Jacqueline the opportunity to observe the French and their culture up close. She is an avid reader, writer, and student of foreign languages.

 By Jacqueline Perrier-Gillette